Hermetically sealed variable capacitor with optimum
movable plate shaft bearing structure

ABSTRACT

A VARIABLE VACUUM CAPACITOR HAVING A CERAMIC BODY SHELL AND METAL END BELLS AND A PLURALITY OF FIXED CONCENTTRIC CYLINDRICAL PLATES MOUNTED INSIDE NEAR ONE END OF SAID BODY SHELL AND A CORRESPONDING PLURALITY OF AXIALLY INTERLEAVING MOVABLE PLATES MOUNTED ON A SHAFT ASSEMBLY. THE SHAFT ASSEMBLY IS MOUNTED THROUGH TWO THRUST BEARINGS, ONE OF SAID BEARINGS (INTERNAL) BEING LOCATED AT A POSITION WITHIN THE AXIAL LENGTH OF THE FIXED PLATES, AND THE OTHER (EXTERNAL) BEING MOUNTED WITHIN THE BODY SHELL BETWEEN THE PLATES AND THE OPPOSITE END OF THE BODY SHELL AT A POINT WHERE IT SUPPORTS ONE END OF THE SHAFT ASSEMBLY AND ALLOWS FOR SHAFT OVERTRAVEL WITHIN THE END BELL AT THAT END. THE EXTERNAL BEARING AND ITS SUPPORT ARE WITHIN A METAL BELLOWS OPEN TO THE ATMOSPHERE AT THE SAME END. THE METAL BELLOWS IS ATTACHED (VACUUM TIGHT) NEAR THE CENTER OF THAT SHAFT ASSEMBLY AND COMPRESSES AND EXTENDS AXIALLY WITH MOVEMENT OF THE SHAFT ASSEMBLY. THE VOLUME AROUND THE PLATES (INCLUDING THE INTERNAL BEARING) IS SEALED AND EVACUATED. AN INDEPENDENT CONCENTRIC HOLLOW SPINDLE FIXED END MOUNT SUPPORTS THE INTERNAL BEARING AND RELIEVES THE FIXED PLATES OF ANY STRUCTURAL LOAD THEREFROM WHILE ALSO PROVIDING OVERTRAVEL SPACE FOR THE INTERNAL END OF THE SHAFT ASSEMBLY.

Jan. 22, 1974 J E. OESCHGER Re. 27,900

HERIETICALLY SEALEi) VARIABLE CAPACll'OR WITH OPTIMUM IOVABLE PLATESHAFT BEARING STRUCTURE Original Filed April 30, 1969 2 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTOR Q JOSrEPH 6. 06507656? Mawm AGE/V7 J. E. OESCHGE R Jan. 22,1974 HERIETICALLY SEALED VARIABLE CAPACITOR WITH OPTIMUM MOVABLE PLATESHAFT BEARING STRUCTURE Original Filed April 30, 1969 2 Sheets-Sheet id7 m% w WC 0 6 w A 0 6 A UN W W 0 I J m x United States PatentHERMETICALLY SEALED VARIABLE CAPACITOR WITH OPTIMUM MOVABLE PLATE SHAFIBEARING STRUCTURE Joseph Emil Oeschger, Palo Alto, Calif., assignor toInternational Telephone and Telegraph Corporation, New York, N.Y.

Original No. 3,541,405, dated Nov. 17, 1970, Ser. No. 820,451, Apr. 30,1969. Application for reissue Nov. 16, 1972, Ser. No. 307,163

Int. Cl. H01g 5/04 U.S. Cl. 317-245 5 Claims Matter enclosed in heavybrackets I: 1 appears in the original patent but forms no part of thisreissue specification; matter printed in italics indicates the additionsmade by reissue.

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A variable vacuum capacitor having a ceramicbody shell and metal end bells and a plurality of fixed concentriccylindrical plates mounted inside near one end of said body shell and acorresponding plurality of axially interleaving movable plates mountedon a shaft assembly. The shaft assembl is mounted through two thrustbearings; one of said bearings (internal) being located at a positionwithin the axial length of the fixed plates, and the other (external)being mounted within the body shell between the plates and the oppositeend of the body shell at a point where it supports one end of the shaftassembly and allows for shaft overtravel within the end bell at thatend. The external bearing and its support are within a metal bellowsopen to the atmosphere at the same end. The metal bellows is attached(vacuum tight) near the center of the shaft assembly and compresses andextends axially with movement of the shaft assembly. The volume aroundthe plates (including the internal bearing) is sealed and evacuated. Anindependent concentric hollow spindle fixed end mount supports theinternal bearing and relieves the fixed plates of any structural loadtherefrom while also providing overtravel space for the internal end ofthe shaft assembly.

The nature of the individual parts is such that subassembly operationsare minimal, virtually all parts being finally assembled through asingle furnace brazing (hard soldering) operation. Solder (hard) discsare assembled with the parts to effect this advantage.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention This inventionrelates to variable capacitors as electrical components and moreparticularly to improved variable capacitors in sealed and evacuatedvessels or envelopes. This invention also relates to structure allowingan improved manufacturing method whereby the number of assembly steps isreduced.

Description of the prior art In the prior art, vacuum capacitors havebeen designed and built in various configurations. U.S. Pat. 2,511,338issued June 13, 1950, to J. E. Jennings, entitled Variable VacuumCapacitor, describes an early and relatively basic version. Otherversions involving differing plate coufigurations, various glassenvelope shapes, ceramic body shells, and variations in cooling methods,etc., have been described in the literature.

U.S. Pat. 3,257,590 issued June 21, 1966, to R. W. Hansen, entitledVacuum Variable Capacitor, illustrates a version in which an internal(within the evacuated vessel) bearing restrains a thrust rod fromlateral (radial) motion. That thrust rod controls the movable plate setaxially, and if constrained from lateral motion, the movable plates aresimilarly constrained. This type of constraint has been found necessarynot only for ruggedization of the device against environmental shock andvibration, but also because alternating or pulsed currents flowing inthese capacitors tend to cause electrostatic forces to be set up betweenfixed and movable plates, particularly at high current levels. Theresulting electrostatically induced vibration can have the effect ofreducing the breakdown or arcing voltage threshold of a capacitor oreven bring about gradual or abrupt mechanical failure within the unit.

Referring again to the prior art device of the aforementioned U.S. Pat.3,257,590, it will be noted that the internal bearing of that device issupported by the innermost of the fixed cylindrical plates. Thus thesaid innermost plate is necessarily made of heavier material so as to bemore rigid than its companion plates. This necessitates additionalmanufacturing and tooling expense, the heavier material being moredifiicult to form by the usual drawing or spinning methods to theaccuracy required. Moreover, it will be obvious that any lateral shaftand inner bearing vibration in that structure, however small, would havethe effect of modulating the spacing between this innermost plate andthe adjacent movable plate.

It is also to be noted that most prior art devices of this generalcharacter include structure which requires that internal adjustments bemade in the pre-sealing manufacturing process. Further, most such priorart devices contain structural elements which require that their bodyshell assemblies or outside envelopes contain many parts or complexexternal shapes, whether in glass or ceramic.

The device of the present invention with its improved bearing mountingwill be seen to be structurally relatively simple as well as rugged,reliable, and affording illumination of many subassembly steps, allowingsignificant savings in manufacturing costs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the recognized disadvantages of theprior art, it was an achieved object of the present invention to providean internal bearing support structure which is independent of the actualcapacitor plates, and also more rigid and in optimum placement withrespect to shaft overtravel.

It is to be noted also that, in man applications, it is important tominimize the size of the capacitor for given voltage and currentratings. In the present invention, another objective realized was theelimination of as much structure as possible as compared to prior artdevices without sacrificing performance and thereby actually gainingcompactness and ruggedness.

The preseent invention comprises a ceramic body shell of circularcross-section with metallic end bells attached by known techniques. Forconvenience, the ends of the device and the corresponding end bells willbe identified as fixed end and variable end-an identification obviousfrom the drawings at a glance.

In the realm of manufacturing or process novelty, the invention providesfor furnace brazing (hard soldering) on a one shot" basis. This isbecause all the parts are designed so that a relatively simple axialclamping jig can hold the entire assembly in position during the brazingoperation. Virtually all of the parts are assembled and secured duringthis brazing operation, no significant prior subassembly operationsbeing required.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS For illustration and to aid indescribing the present invention, drawings are presented as follows:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of the fully assembled variable vacuumcapacitor. The sectioning plane contains the axial center line of thedevice.

FIG. 2 is a partially sectioned, isometric view of the internal bearingretaining hollow spindle.

FIG. 3 is a partially sectioned isometric view of the capacitorassembled in a brazing jig.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EM BODIMENT Referring to FIG. 1, it will benoted at the outset that this embodiment is of overall tubular shape. Asection taken transversely to the axial centerline at most points alongsaid centerline would have a circular outline and would be entirelysymmetrical about the center of the view. Exceptions would be where thesection is taken through the recessed bearing collet 3 at the hole 7 orat the tabulation 8.

Basically, the assembly is comprised of two enclosed sets (fixed andvariable) of cup or can shaped concentric interleaving plates. A typical(the outermost) can of the fixed set is shown at 27. All of the fixedcans (plates) have bottom center holes of the same size so that they maybe fitted onto the small outer diameter of hollow spindle at 36. Thesame is true of end bell 4. When these fixed cans and end bell 4 arebrazed together against the shoulder 10 of spindle 5, these parts becomea rigid integral assembly.

Much the same can be said of the movable plates (cans) (the outer one ofwhich is 28) in respect to their mounting and brazing over 22 at 38 andagainst the shoulder provided at 37 by the internal end of theinternally threaded sleeve 19. The said parts 19, 22 and 9 are joined toform a one piece shaft. At least the part of this shaft identified at 9is tungsten carbide and may be joined to 19 by appropriate brazing orwelding and trued by an appropriate machining operation.

The internal end of the metals bellows 18 will be seen to join in thebrazed joint between 19 and the variable plates, thereby sealing theatmospheric pressure extant inside the bellows 18 from the space aboutthe plates.

The shaft assembly at its 19 end slip fits at 17 in the exterior bearingcollet 3, thereby forming the exterior bearing for the shaft.

It will be noted that the other end of bellows 18 is brazed to thebearing collet 3, which in turn joins the other end bell 2 and amounting plate 6 as shown. The said mounting plate 6 is square orrectangular in its planar dimensions and is intended to provide meansfor mounting the entire capacitor assembly.

The cylindrical ceramic body 1 will be seen to be butt jointed to thetwo end bells 2 and 4. These joints are secured also in the furnacebrazing operation to follow, the ends of the ceramic body having beenpretreated in a known manner to accept the brazing. The saidpretreatment includes fusing of a molybdenum manganese agent onto theceramic ends at high temperature and subsequently nickel plating thearea. The end bells, being metallic, do not require pretreatment beforethe braZing operation.

In the illustration of FIG. 1, the plates are shown fully meshed ornearly so. The metal bellows 18 is capable of being axially contractedand exerts a compressive axial force tending to mesh the plates or keepthem meshed. Such force is due to bellows spring action as well as toair pressure tending to extend the bellows. Accordingly, adjustment ismade by means of a manual or power driven lead screw which engages thethreads 20 to pull the shaft assembly sleeve 19 into the recess 23 inthe bearing collet 3. Such a lead screw may bear against the shoulder 24for this purpose.

The bellows 18 is constrained from significant lateral movement orbuckling since the collet 3 acts as a mandrel or guide therefor. Whenthe bellows is most compressed, the collet is within the greatestportion of its length.

It will be noted that the volume within the bellows surrounding theshaft sleeve 19 changes as the bellows extends or contracts. Althoughthe bearing surface at 17 could be expected to leak enough to preventbuild-up of pressure changes in the said volume, a relief hole 7 throughthe side wall of the recess in the bearing collet 3 is provided toprevent temporary or transient pressure changes during capacitoradjustment. The said recess will be seen to provide axial clearance forthe o-vertravel of sleeve 19 as the capacitor movable plates arewithdrawn.

It will be noted that the volume between the bellows outer perimeter andwithin the ceramic body and end bells is evacuated.

Considering now the interior bearing bushing 14 (within the evacuatedvolume), this part operates as a hearing at surface 15 for shaft 9. Ithas been found that materials ranging from high alumina ceramic tosynthetic sapphire are satisfactory for the bearing bushing 14 as thesematerials afford desirable vacuum lubrication qualities against thetungsten carbide shaft portion 9. Thus a close tolerance fit at bearingsurface 15 can be achieved without galling or binding.

The bearing bushing 14 is pressed into the largest inside diameter ofthe hollow spindle 5 within its largest outside diameter 13, and restsas illustrated against an inside shoulder 12. Overtravel of shaft 9 willbe seen to be accommodated in the interior bore of the threaded end of5.

The element 40, which is a metal cup shaped seal, is heliarc weldedaround the perimeter of its contact with the spindle 5 inside bore edgeas illustrated at 39. The element 40 may be relied upon as a shortingcontact when shaft 9 advances into contact with it. In some particulardesigns, it is desired that the capacitor be shorted out of a circuit,which it would in fact be, if 9 contacts 40.

The tabulation 8 is shown pinched off, which it would be afterevacuation and degassing as a last step of manufacture after the finalassembly brazing operation hereinafter described in more detail, andafter welding in of element 40.

FIG. 2 depicts the hollow bearing spindle 5 graphically so that the hole11 which is drilled diametrically through both walls, as well as otheraspects of this vital part, is clearly understood. Numeric symbolscorrespond on FIG. 2 to the same callouts on FIG. 1.

The structure supporting the bearing 14 will be understood to affordunusual strength and simplicity whereby the shaft subassembly consistingof 9, 22 and 19 (and therefore the variable plates) are rigidlyconstrained from lateral movement.

Referring now to FIG. 3, the process of final assembly of a vacuumcapacitor according to the invention will be described, with referenceback to FIG. 1, as necessary.

The brazing jig of FIG. 3 is cut-away so that it will be understood howthe final assembly operation is advantageously performed in a one-shotbrazing operation, as for example, in a chain type furnace. The handassembled capacitor is mounted in the jig of FIG. 3, and therein heldwhile processed in the said furnace.

The jig itself comprises a cylinder 29 into which the ceramic body ofthe capacitor assembly fits as illustrated. The cylinder standsvertically on a base plate 30. End bells 2 and 4 will be seen to becompression retained by a jig top plate 31 and a bottom cylindricalblock 34. The threaded end of spindle 5 is visible where it threads intoa retaining bushing inside 34. A lead screw 33 holds the alignment ofthe exterior end of the capacitor shaft by engaging the threads 20, andthe alignment device 35 tends to preserve the axial alignment of 5,especially with respect to the shaft 9 during brazing, by insertion over9 and inside 5. The seal member 40 is, of course, not yet installed, itsinstallation being effected between furnace brazing and evacuationsteps.

The tabulation 8 is shown open in FIG. 3, which it would be duringbrazing. Since the capacitor assembly is axially assembled into the jig,and a slot in the cylinder 29 is therefore required to clear thetabulation 8, as illustrated.

The details of the jig of FIG. 3 are subject to considerable variation,its illustration serving only to document the advantageous one shot"final assembly brazing made possible by the structural features of thecapacitor assembly.

Various relief holes are extant in the jig at key locations to avoidinternal pressure build-up during the brazing operation.

A key fact not yet discussed, is the assembly of the unit with thebrazing materials in the form of thin washers installed as if they wereindividual assembly component parts.

Thus, as the fixed cans are fitted onto 5, washers of brazing material(typically a silver-copper alloy) are emplaced between cans, typicallyat 16 and against the shoulder 10. Similarly, the variable cans havebrazing alloy washers between cans and at 21, where the bellows endjoins the variable cans.

The shaft comprising parts 19, 22 and 9 which, as previously indicated,was prefabricated and machine trued, was brazed using an alloy of highermelting temperature than that used in the final assembly operation nowbeing discussed, so that there is no softening of the brazed jointsamong 19, 22 and 9.

Braze material washers are also fitted between end bell 2 and mountingplate 6 and bearing collet 3 at 43, and at 41 and 42, as these parts areassembled, after the bearing spindle containing the pressed in bearingbushing 14 is fitted with the fixed cans and end bell 4, and after theshaft is inserted with movable cans and bellows fitted thereon.

Heliarc welds at 25 and 26 may be effected, if necessary, after finalassembly brazing at the time 40 is installed.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the capacitor unitstructure uniquely lends itself to axial assembly and the aforementionedone-shot" final assembly bran'ng.

Several additional expedients for assuring optimum alignment of thefixed and variable plates (cans) are also available. One of theseincludes forming the inside movable can bottom, in the form of a convexcylindrical projection, so that an over engagement of the cans (formanufacturing only) possible in the absence of 40, brings the saidconvex projection snuggly into the open end of the innermost fixed can.

Another expedient for can alignment consists of applying a solublecrystalline salt of high melting temperature by means of a thin coat ofa cementing agent around the can perimeters at or near thin open endsprior to assembly. The said salt and residue from the cementing agentmay then be removed by flushing with water or another suitable solventafter final assembly brazing.

It will be noted that, prior to installation of seal 40, a flushing pathexists between the open threaded end of spindle 5, through holes 11, andback and forth between the meshed plates (cans) through the volumebetween the bellows 18 and the ceramic body 1 and end hell 2,

thence out the open tabulation 8.

Concerning selection materials not already discussed, known criteriahave been applied. The ceramic of body 1 would be one common to thevacuum tube and capacitor prior art. Such ceramics may be processed athigher temperatures than glass and provide certain outgassingadvantages.

Due consideration must be given to differential coefiicients ofexpansion, especially in view of the final assembly brazing operation.Where it is important that expansions and contractions be comparable,similar materials are used. Monel metal is known to closely match thetemperature coefiicient of expansion of phosphor bronze and thesematerials have applicability for corrosion resistance and machinability(for monel) and high strength and resilient qualities for phosphorbronze.

Other advantages may be inferred from an understanding of the structuresand methods described. Also, various modifications will suggestthemselves to those skilled in this art. The herewith drawings are to beregarded as illustrative only and not defining the limits of theinventive concepts.

What is claimed is:

1. A variable capacitor assembly comprising:

an envelope including a hollow cylindrical insulating sleeve with firstand second end bells sealed to the ends of said insulating sleeve;

a fixed set of coaxial cylindrical plates formed by a plurality ofopen-ended cans of conductive material concentrically mounted withinsaid first end bell;

an axial conductive shaft on which a movable set of plates is coaxiallyand conductively mounted, said movable plates being formed of a secondset of openended cans sized to interleave said fixed plates in responseto axial motion of said shaft;

internal bearing and support means for supporting said shaft with axialsliding freedom, comprising a hollow spindle of circular cross-sectionmounted coaxially through said first end bell and having an internallyprojecting socket end in which said internal bearing is mounted, and anexternally projecting hollow spindle portion, whereby said shaft mayovertravel into said external spindle portion when said plates aremeshed; and

external bearing and support means for supporting said shaft with axialsliding freedom, comprising a hollow collet projecting inward withinsaid envelope from said second end bell, said collet including a recesscavity open to the outside of said envelope through said second end bellto provide an overtravel space for shaft when said plates are withdrawn,said collet including a coaxial hole of diameter less than said recessbut greater by a fit allowance than the corresponding diameter of saidshaft, at a location substantially at the inwardly projecting end ofsaid collet, thereby to provide said external bearing.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which said collet projectsinwardly from said second end hell by an amount at least equal to thetotal travel of said shaft and said hollow spindle projects inwardlyfrom said first end hell by an amount such that said internal bearing islocated inwardly by a predetermined axial distance not exceeding theaxial length of said fixed coaxial plates.

3. In a hermetically sealed vacuum capacitor mounted in an envelopehaving metallic end bells joined to a generally tubular insulatingmid-section, having a set of fixed plates mounted within one of said endbells, and having a movable set of plates joined in an axially slideableshaft, whereby meshing and withdrawal of said movable plates withrespect to said fixed plates is effected by sliding said shaft axially,comprising:

a first bearing for slideably supporting said shaft;

means including a hollow member supported coaxially from the one of saidend bells adjacent said fixed plate set, said hollow member forming asocket holding said first bearing at a point within the axial length ofsaid fixed plates;

and a second bearing mounted to axially slideably support said shaft,said second bearing comprising the surface of a coaxial hole in the endof an inwardly projecting hollow member supported from the other of saidend bells, said hollow member being of a length placing said secondbearing between the axial point reached by said movable plates fullywithdrawn and said other end bell.

4. The invention set forth in claim 1, in which said hollow cylindricalsleeve is ceramic and said end bells are metal.

S. The invention set forth in claim 1, further defined in that saidsecond end bell includes an evacuation tubulation and said hollowspindle cotais at least one side wall opening whereby a flushing path isformed from one end of said hollow spindle outside said first end bell,through said spindle side wall opening, and through said plates and saidtubulation.

References Cited The following references, cited by the Examiner, are ofrecord in the patented file of this patent or the original patent.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,511,338 6/l950 Jennings 3l7245 X 3,242,3973/1966 Jennings 3l7245 3,257,590 6/1966 Hansen 317245 ELLIOT A.GOLDBERG, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 3 l725 1

